Tipping guides

Newdale Pheasants

Newdale Pheasants

New member
I'm in a bit of a conundrum at my club. Guides here aren't paid out of the hunt fee and work for tips, only, and I'm looking for a tactful way of posting a sign or letting our hunters know that tips are customary and appreciated. Any suggestions?

Also, what do you guys think is a fair tip for an upland guide on a full-day hunt? Guided hunts are fairly pricey, but the success rates are usually much better than a DIY hunt and the guides do a good job of taking care of thier clients. Guides use their own dogs, carry birds, put clients in the best position for the shot, carry water and other supplies, and process birds....so what do you think is fair? Thanks for your input!
 
10-20% of cost per gun? That sseems pretty fair to me I think.
 
Now that I've thought about it I have a question. Are the rates for a day of non guided vs. guided hunting the same? If so that is a weird business model and if not and the club is taking in more money for your guide service they should be compensating you for your service.
 
quail hound said:
Now that I've thought about it I have a question. Are the rates for a day of non guided vs. guided hunting the same? If so that is a weird business model and if not and the club is taking in more money for your guide service they should be compensating you for your service.
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Good observation. We are currently bringing the club back to solvency after a rough couple of years so the guides are 'volunteers'. We reward them with free scratch hunts and other private land hunting access, which works good for now.
 
I see. That seems fair. I checked out the website and see that you guys host the NAGDA nationals. Do you know Dave Hamilton from Ca? I hunt his preserve a few times a year after season and run some of the competitions out there, Dave is a great guy.
 
Yep, I do know Dave. Great guy! We've had the NAGDA Nationals here 3 times and it's always a great time. Lots of good guys and dog work.
 
I agree with Quail Hound. And go a head and post the very wording you said at the club. Times are hard but we need to stick together through this and a little help can go a long way..
 
So a sign at the clubhouse that says something like, "Tips are appreciated!" or "Please tip your guides" would be ok? I want the message to get across, but I don't want it to sound too tacky, like we're begging for money. I was thinking about shooting a photo of my dog sitting behind her empty dish with a "Please tip your guide" sign...would that be over the top?
 
I guided for a hunt club the last couple of years. We received a salary but it was minimal, the tips were really nice. As a guide I never asked for a tip but was told that the guys who take the money usually asked if they wanted to put the tip on the bill, or just take care of the guide themselves. That way the thought of the tip was mentioned. Somehow it needs to be conveyed to each group. Lots of guys in the heat of having fun just forget about the guide, a friendly reminder is appreciated, I have been on both sides!
 
Looked at your web site. I see the rate is $200 per day. I assume that is per hunter and that there are 5 birds released per hunter. So with a minimum group of 4 that would be $800 for the day. At 15% that is $120 for a tip. For an 8 hour day that would be $15 per hour. Probably about right. However, if you are using the guides dogs I think it should be more than if you are not using his dogs and using your own. Make sense?

As for a sign. I'd state somethng to the effect that "Guides are volunteers and not compensated. Tips are appreciated!"
 
Yes!

Newdale Pheasants said:
So a sign at the clubhouse that says something like, "Tips are appreciated!" or "Please tip your guides" would be ok? I want the message to get across, but I don't want it to sound too tacky, like we're begging for money. I was thinking about shooting a photo of my dog sitting behind her empty dish with a "Please tip your guide" sign...would that be over the top?
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Newdale Pheasants,That would be perfect! With the pic with your dog and her bowl is just Great.....:10sign::thumbsup:
 
Tombstone17 said:
Newdale Pheasants,That would be perfect! With the pic with your dog and her bowl is just Great.....:10sign::thumbsup:
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The more I think about it the better I like that! It's a gentle reminder. Also having the huntmaster ask if the clients want to include the tip or take care of the guides themselves, that's a great idea as well. I really like the majority of our clients and I wouldn't want them to think badly of us for posting anything. I think, though, that a lot of the guys think we're paid by the club so they figure we're getting our due. Thanks for the input and I'll post a copy of the sign I come up with.
 
I would do this on Your Web Site and where ever Your rates are posted.

Daily rate is $200 birds per day, 5 birds per hunter.
Guides are not paid, Gratuities are the responsibility of the Client.


Good Clients tend to tip well. (not posted) Just my thoughts.
 
I've guided for a hunt club. The policy there is $30 hour with a 2 hour minimum on a guided hunt using my dogs. Most hunts are about 3 hours and I charge for the time my dogs are in the field. I do it to get my dogs on birds and I love to watch new and old hunters alike. Tips are above that and most are very happy with their experience that I get tipped that extra time I spend getting set up and cleaning up dogs. The nice part is several customers request their guide dog, owners get to come along.
 
There have been a few times while hunting at my club I was approached by the manager and asked if I would guide, in a pinch so to speak. I was always glad to do it because it meant more time for my dogs, and it was usually a father with their child. How do you not want to do that?! As far as tips, didn't get much. One father son combo, I provided guns for both, shells, and took them through field twice for over 2 hours with my dogs...then the dad asked if I would clean his birds. Ok, now I am expecting a tip, right? They drove over 2 hours from "nice" neighborhood north of Chicago. He hands me a $10 dollar bill:mad:
Had a father daughter combo show up at club, where grandpa with dog couldn't make it. Manager drives out to field and asks if I'd be willing to guide. Absolutely! Long and short of it, we worked hard to get daughter in position each time dogs went on point. Don't think dad did his job of teaching or taking daughter out to shoot on clays. Waited too long to pull trigger. (Got a few dirty looks from dogs even) About 100 yards to end of field, dogs go on point. We walk up, get daughter in position, I close in to flush bird. Bird gets up flying north sailing high. We are waiting for what seems to be an eternity for daughter to shoot. Finally after about 40 yards...Bang! I saw the daughter's upper torso being pushed back with muzzle at 45 degrees, not exactly your classic shooting form. We watched as bird still flying, thought she missed all her shots that day...when all of a sudden the wings began to flutter. The bird set down in a fence line. We marked it and I ran up there with the dogs. Before I had even got there, Oskar was on top of it. I told him to fetch, he reached in and pulled out the bird and delivered to hand! To see the smile on that girls face(dad's too!) as I presented her with what turned out to be her first bird...PRICELESS!
When daughter asked dad if she could get a picture taken of her, her bird, and my dogs Oskar and Schultz I got choked up. When it was all said and done, dad offered me a tip, I politely refused and told him to give it to his favorite animal rescue charity.:thumbsup:
 
Nice story. I love taking the kids out in the field and get a kick out of them when they get their first birds - especially if they can outshoot their pops! I also have a couple wounded warriors that I regularly guide for and I wouldn't take a tip from them if they begged me. I guess it all depends on the group.
 
On another note, if a dog handler/guide at a hunt club were to break down all costs involved whether by breeding or purchasing a puppy, vet bills,his time(modestly lets say $25 an hour) and travel expenses invested in training, e-collars, home kennels, portable kennels, etc. Add up all costs, divide it by estimated working hours and I would venture to figure a guide AND DOG worth at least $50 an hour. That would be a break even scenario. Should he be like every other business in this country and add on a profit margin? Say 25 - 30 %? $63 -70 an hour. What about taxes and insuranance? Of course most people don't think the dog should be compensated for his/her time, they are merely animals! Try sniffing out your own birds running 5 miles to every mile we walk. What do you make an hour at work and figure your time afield at same rate with the added time involved hunting without a dog. If people fail to see the VALUE in an efficient hunting operation...?
Not saying we shouldn't hunt without a dog, I'm just thinking a guide and his dog is way under paid. I would like to see those that chose not to own their own hunting companion, to fully appreciate it when they hunt using a guide and their dog.
 
birddog456, That was a fantastic! what a noble thing you did. That is what a true Sportsman does! Just a note to the Mods. on this forum, can you add like an award star to a members Title or something. I think it would go a long way to recognize a person who volunteers to do something that furthers the sport.....
 
birddog456 said:
On another note, if a dog handler/guide at a hunt club were to break down all costs involved whether by breeding or purchasing a puppy, vet bills,his time(modestly lets say $25 an hour) and travel expenses invested in training, e-collars, home kennels, portable kennels, etc. Add up all costs, divide it by estimated working hours and I would venture to figure a guide AND DOG worth at least $50 an hour. That would be a break even scenario. Should he be like every other business in this country and add on a profit margin? Say 25 - 30 %? $63 -70 an hour. What about taxes and insuranance? Of course most people don't think the dog should be compensated for his/her time, they are merely animals! Try sniffing out your own birds running 5 miles to every mile we walk. What do you make an hour at work and figure your time afield at same rate with the added time involved hunting without a dog. If people fail to see the VALUE in an efficient hunting operation...?
Not saying we shouldn't hunt without a dog, I'm just thinking a guide and his dog is way under paid. I would like to see those that chose not to own their own hunting companion, to fully appreciate it when they hunt using a guide and their dog.
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LOL! Running a club is a lot more expensive than a lot of people think. There's more, if you figure cost of birds, dog food, utilities, farm equipment to keep the cover up, time spent on the tractor, time spent training....if we didn't love what we do we'd scrap the whole thing. A lot of people look at the cost of the hunt and think we're making a mint, but honestly to break even every year is tougher than most would think. We'd love to turn the kind of profit that most think that we do, but it's hard to do when you figure in all the costs of operating. Good post Birddog!
 
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